The Elements of Music
by zutaraforeveryay
Summary: Music and living were all Zuko had, until one day, a brown-haired, blue-eyed bass player walked into his life and turned it upside down. In the good way, not like his sister's way. AU. Zutara, Haruzula( it's Irell's fault).
1. Element One

**Authors Note!**

**The songs for this chapter are Bring Me to Life and Everybody's Fool by Evanescence, along with Haunted by Kelly Clarkson.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, because if I did, there would be a Book 4: Air.**

**Enjoy the new story, and** **I'm**** still working on ITY, don't worry!**

Elemental

He stepped out into the hallway and opened the door to the audition room.

"Sit down already, Zuzu."

He sighed and plopped down in the chair next to Mai, flicking his emo bangs out of his eyes.

{Nok, nok.}

"Come in."

A brown-haired guy with a blue headband walked in.

"Next."

A girl stepped in next, dressed all in white.

"We don't take Rebel Goths."

A brunette girl with huge pigtails shuffled in, wearing a pink and purple shirt and holding a fishing pole.

"I think you misunderstood. Bass, as in the instrument, not the fish. Next."

He flopped back into the couch and groaned.

"This is hopeless! We'll never get a bass player before tonight!"

"Hello?"

He sat up and stared at the girl in the doorway.

Sapphire eyes fixed on his face, probably looking at the scar that swooped from his left eye to his ear.

Her dark brown hair swirled around her coffee-colored face.

She wore an oversize deep blue t-shirt covered in silvery-blue swirls and belted with a black scarf. The hems of her jeans were decorated the same way, and she had silver hoop earrings in, along with two pairs of studs in each ear.

"Name, please?"

"Katara Kuruk. Do I just play, or…"

He brushed his bangs off of his face and smiled.

"Guys, I believe we've found our bass."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

She frowned, a confused look on her face.

"But I didn't even play."

"You don't have to. It's obvious by the way you act."

She grinned and set down the bass case.

"When do I start?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?!"

He nodded.

"We have a gig tonight, but our bass quit this morning and it was too late to cancel. So you're going to play bass tonight. Got any other talents? We'd love to know them."

Mai picked up her drumsticks and began tapping out a rhythm on the table.

Ty Lee vaulted over the table and landed on the carpeted floor with a small thud, flipping upside-down and smiling at Katara.

Azula pulled her hood up over her head and gave him a thumbs up.

"Well, I can sing, but I don't know how well it is."

He walked over to the closet and took out a microphone and an amp, handing them to Katara.

She set them down and plugged the microphone into the amp.

"Can I get some music?"

Mai walked over to the wall partition and pulled it back to reveal a full drum set. Ty Lee cartwheeled over to the keyboard and turned it on, while Azula plugged in a blue electric guitar with lightning decals. Zuko walked over and handed her a microphone stand and a cord for her bass.

Katara flipped open her case and took out a light blue bass guitar with water-like decals.

..

..

..

Ty lee's hands flew over the keyboard, creating a sad melody.

"How…can you see into my eyes, like open doors?"

"Leading you down into my core, where I've become so numb."

Azula riffed on the guitar then began playing a melody.

"Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold!"

..

"Until you find it there and lead it, back, home."

Zuko stepped up to the mic as Mai beat at the drums in a pounding rhythm.

"_Wake_ _me_ _up_!"

"Wake me up inside!"

"_I_ _can't_ _wake_ _up_!"

"Wake me up inside!"

"_Save_ _me_!"

"Call my name and save me from the dark!"

"_Wake_ _me_ _up_!"

"Bid my blood to run!"

"_I_ _can't_ _wake_ _up_!"

"Before I come undone!"

"_Save_ _me_!"

"Save me from the nothing I've become!"

Zuko clicked the mic back into place and stepped back to watch Katara.

"Now, that I know what I'm without,"

"You can't just leave me!"

"Breathe, into me and make me real..."

"Bring...me...to…life."

Ty Lee finished a melody and flipped over the piano, landing next to Azula, who had set down her guitar and was sitting sideways in her chair.

"That was amazing!"

"You're definitely a good singer!"

"Better than good." Azula said, playing a melody on the guitar.

Zuko nodded.

"Katara."

She looked over at him. He held out a hand.

"Welcome to Blue Fire."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Katara POV

"Perfect, by nature. Icons, of self-indulgence. Just, what we all need! More lies, about a world that-"

The dark backstage made it hard for Katara to see, so she gasped in surprise when Mai seemingly appeared in front of her, the black, oversize T-shirt and belt camouflaging her in the night. A finger-less-gloved hand rested on her shoulder.

"Show's starting soon. Get ready. Zuko wants to see you when you're done."

She nodded and Mai disappeared into the black.

She quickly pulled her hair-loopies back and secured them with a circular hair-clip.

Clicking her guitar strap onto the deep blue bass guitar, she picked it up and headed in the direction Mai had disappeared into.

"Katara! Over here!"

She looked up and saw her brother, Sokka, standing with his girlfriend Suki, and Katara's adopted brother, Aang.

Katara walked over and gave Sokka a hug.

"What're you doing here, sis? Fangirling over a band?"

She scowled, softly punching his arm.

"No. I got a part in a band. Bassist."

He stood back, impressed.

"Nice! Which one? Did they tell you the name?"

She nodded.

"Blue Fire."

Suki gasped, and then threw her arms around Katara.

"Congratulations! That's a big gig to get!"

She smiled as Aang gave her a quick hug before leaving to find Toph, who she assumed was somewhere around.

"Yeah, and today's my first night. I'm singing, too."

Sokka smiled, surprised.

"They must really like you."

Katara glanced down at her watch."

"They might not after this. I'm late!"

She said a quick bye and ran down the hall; apologizing to random musicians she bumped into. Skidding, she stumbled onto the stage. Thankfully, no one had walked in to see her embarrass herself except for the members of Blue Fire.

"You're late."

She smiled sheepishly and pulled her bass guitar out.

"Sorry. My brother's performing here tonight and I wanted to say hi."

Zuko stood up, impressed.

"Is your whole family into music?"

She nodded, tuning the strings of the bass guitar.

"My dad's in a band. He travels a lot. He's currently performing in Chameleon Bay. And, um…my mom's not something I want to talk about."

Zuko nodded.

"Chameleon Bay's far. Do you see your dad often?"

"No, not much. He's in the band Ocean Warriors. Heard of it?"

Zuko almost dropped his microphone.

"Really?! The Ocean Warriors? That's an epic dad you have!"

Katara smiled.

"Yeah."

Azula walked up to the pair, her blue guitar in her hands. She wore a loose, red, above-the-knee dress with a gold belt and black leggings. Black boots without heels finished it off. Her hair was out of its ponytail and she had the air of a princess. The scary kind.

"We've got a show to do. Take your places."

They all walked back into the wings as people began to file into the room. Azula smirked and slung her black guitar strap over her head.

Ty Lee stepped out of the dark with a small violin and Mai followed, hair held up in a bun by four drumsticks. Zuko smiled and flicked his bangs out of the way.

Azula smiled and walked confidently out to the mic, grabbing it with one hand and adjusting her guitar strap with the other.

"Good evening. We're Blue Fire and we're going to play you a couple songs. Hopefully we can take the roof down."

The crowd burst into cheers. That was their cue to walk onstage. Zuko went first, fangirl shrieks starting the second he appeared.

Mai, Ty Lee and Katara stepped out next. There were gasps as she stepped onstage. She had worn her best gig clothes tonight.

An asymmetrical shirt so dark blue it was almost black, a pair of super-skinny jeans painted with the same swirling design she painted on all her jeans, and silver sandals. Her three piercings in each ear gave off the threatening bit, and blue eyes kept it soft. Her hair was curly and perfectly styled, and she wore only her mother's locket around her neck.

She watched Azula close her eyes, golden orbs that gleamed in the spotlight.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Azula POV

I close my eyes and the music begins to play. I step up to the mic and hand my guitar to Zuko.

"Louder, louder, the voices in my head. Whispers, taunting, all the things you said."

Dark shadows flash past my eyelids and I see my mother, standing behind me, on the other side of the mirror.

"Faster the days go by, and I'm still stuck in this moment of wanting you here."

She smiles. "How wonderful. You always had such a beautiful voice."

"Time, in the blink of an eye. You held my hand, you held me tight!"

"Now you're gone and I'm still crying. Shocked, broken. I'm dying inside."

She lowers her head. "I love you, Azula. I do."

"Inside…"

Mai bursts into the chorus and I sing out, my emotions making it powerful and sad.

"_I_ _love_ _you_, _Azula_."

"Where are you? I need you! Don't leave me here on my own!"

"_I do_."

"Speak to me! Be near me! I can't survive without you near me!"

I open my eyes. A brown-haired guy with a green shirt is staring intently at me.

"Shadows linger, only to my eye. I see you, I feel you, don't leave my side."

"_What is wrong with that child?_"

"It's not fair, just when I found my world, they took you, they broke you, they tore out your heart!"

"**Who's going to make me? **_Mom_**?"**

"I miss you, you hurt me, you left with a smile. Mistaken, your sadness was hiding inside."

"_No. I love you, Azula."_

'Now all that's left are the pieces to find the mystery you kept, the soul behind a guise!"

As the pace of the song speeds up, the long haired guy mouths "Haru."

"You were smiling…"

I smile and clutch the microphone.

"Where are you?! I need you! Don't leave me here on my own!"

He grins as I make the crowd-surf signal.

"Speak to me! Be near me! I can't survive unless I know you're with me!"

The cymbals clash and that is my cue.

"Why did you go? All these questions run through my mind. I wish I couldn't feel at all."

I walk to the edge of the stage and take a breath.

"Let me be numb! I'm starting to fall!"

I turn around and let the microphone fall from my hands, falling from the stage and into the crowd.

As I pass Haru, I whisper into the crowd.

"_Azula."_

I am passed back to the stage, where I scoop up the microphone, setting it back into the stand as I sing.

"Where are you? I need you."

"Don't leave me here on my own! Speak to me! Be near me! I can't survive unless I know you're with me!"

"Where..." _"Where are you?"_

"Are…" "_I need you!_

"You?!" "_Don't leave me here on my own."_

I clutch the microphone and step up on the circle amplifier.

"Where. Are. You."

"_I can't survive unless I know you're with me."_

"You were smiling…"

"_What are you doing here?!"_

"You, were smiling."

"_I didn't want to miss my own daughter's graduation."_

"You, were, smiling…"

"_I love you, Azula."_

I open my eyes as the guitar fades out and a tear runs down my cheek.

"_I do…"_

End of Elemental: 1


	2. Element Two

**Author's Note!**

**Songs for this chapter are Bring Me to Life by Evanescence and Liar by One OK Rock.**

Elemental: 2

Bring Me to Life

Katara took a deep breath and handed Zuko her bass after he gave Azula her guitar back. Stepping up to the microphone, she looked up to the ceiling as Ty Lee began her keyboard melody.

"How, can you see into my eyes, like open doors?"

Azula began to play softly, bringing the song to a start.

"Leading, you down, into my core, where I've become so numb."

The rest of the band soon followed Azula's lead as Katara sang.

"Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere _cold_."

"Until you find it there and lead, it, back, _home_."

Zuko stepped up next to her with the bass guitar and grabbed the microphone.

"_Wake me up!_"

"Wake me up inside!"

"_I can't wake up!_"

"Wake me up inside!"

"_Save me!_"

"Call my name and save me from the dark!"

"_Wake me up!_"

"Bid my blood to run!"

"_I can't wake up!"_

"Before I come undone!"

"_Save_ _me_!"

"Save me from the nothing I've become!"

"Now, that I know what I'm without, you can't just leave me!"

"Breathe, into me and make me real..."

"Bring...me...to life."

…

"_Wake me up!_"

"Wake me up inside!"

"_I can't wake up!_"

"Wake me up inside!"

"_Save me!"_

"Call my name and save me from the dark!"

"_Wake me up!_"

"Bid my blood to run!"

"_I can't wake up!_"

"Before I come undone!"

"_Save me!"_

"Save me from the nothing I've become!"

…

"Bring me to life."

"_I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside…"_

"Bring me to life."

…

"Frozen inside, without your touch, without your love, darling."

…

"Only, you, are the life, among the dead!"

…

"_All_ _this_ _time,_ _I_ _can't_ _believe_ _I_ _couldn't_ _see,_ _kept_ _in_ _the_ _dark,_ _but_ _you_ _were_ _there_ _in_ _front_ _of_ _me."_

"I've been sleeping, a thousand years, it seems, got to open my eyes to everything."

"_Without_ _a_ _thought_, _without_ _a_ _voice_, _without_ _a_ _soul_!"

"**Don't** **let** **me** **die** **here…"**

"_There_ _must_ _be_ _something_ _more!"_

"Bring, me, to, life!"

…

"_Wake me up!"_

"Wake me up inside!"

"_I can't wake up!"_

"Wake me up inside!"

"_Save me!"_

"Call my name and save me from the dark!"

"_Wake me up!"_

"Bid my blood to run!"

"_I can't wake up!"_

"Before I come undone!"

"_Save me!"_

"Save me from the nothing I've become!"

…

"Bring, me, to, life."

"_I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside!"_

"Bring…me…to…life!"

She opened her eyes as the music faded and saw many awed faces staring up at her. She turned to Zuko, who was staring at her with the same expression.

"I'm really glad we hired you now." He said, grinning.

Azula walked over with Ty Lee and Mai.

"That gave me chills."

They were suddenly brought back to reality by thunderous clapping, whistles and cheers. Mixed in were cries of "Encore! Encore!"

Zuko grinned.

"My turn, I guess. It's time to play like we're going to die tomorrow."

He walked up to the front of the stage and smirked.

"So, you guys want an encore?"

The crowd cheered like never before.

"Well, you'll get one!"

They took their places and Zuko lowered his head, the microphone cord around his neck.

Silence took over the large room.

Ty Lee set the sound board up and played the music.

…

Azula and Katara both began playing at exactly the same time, Zuko picking up the mic.

…

"What do you want from me? Just let-me-breathe-a-little."

He saw flashes of his father, the mysterious man in the shadows.

"What do you want to see? Me ni mieru mono?"

He couldn't even remember his face; it had been so long since his uncle had taken him in.

"What do you want to believe? Still nothing-can-be-settled."

His mother's face was even more faded than the father that had made her run away from her family.

"Hold on your words, you say. It's no good."

An image flashed through his head.

"Nani wo motome soshite nani wo ukeireru?"

"_Zuko, please, my love, listen to me."_

"Futatsu ni hitotsu! Boku ni wa mada sore ga I don't know!"

"_I don't know…"_

"Tonari de warau kimi wa!"

"_Hahahahaha! Your uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?"_

Zuko's head snapped up, and he clutched the microphone for dear life as he screamed into it.

"Hey, Liar! Hey, Liar! What do you think of living without me?!"

Tears ran down his cheeks as he screamed English and Japanese into the microphone.

"Hey, Liar! Hey, Liar! Nani ga uso de dore ga shin-jitsu?!"

The smiling face of his mother haunted his mind as he launched into the second verse.

"Must be a dream I see, maru de dejavu no you."

"_Zuko, help me!"_

"_Just like Mother!"_

"Trying so hard to know, inside of you."

"_You_ _will_ _learn_ _respect_, _and_ _suffering_ _will_ _be_ _your_ _teacher_."

"Staring your eyes to feel, kono omoi ga, todoku you ni to negau kedo, risou to wa urahara; so cold, so cold!"

"Tonari de hohoemu kimi…"

…

"Hey Liar! Hey Liar! Are mo kore mo uso ja mou!"

"_Dad's going to kill you! Really, he is."_

"I'm tired, so tired! What do you think of living without me?!"

The music slowed down enough for him to catch his breath and he wiped away the tears that had started to dry onto his cheeks.

"_There's nothing left to bleed, there's nothing left to bleed, there's nothing left to bleed, there's nothing left to bleed, my heart can't take this anymore!"_

"There's nothing left to bleed, there's nothing left to bleed, there's nothing left to bleed, there's nothing left to bleed, my heart can't take this anymore!"

"**There's nothing left to bleed, there's nothing left to bleed, my heart can't take this anymore!"**

"Hey Liar! Hey Liar! What do you think of living without me?!"

"Ne, Liar! Oh yeah, Liar! Todomaru koto wa muimi?!"

The tears poured down as he erased the memories of the father that never cared, using the only thing he had. Music. Music and living. That was all he had.

Katara watched him as he stood there, tears soaking his T-shirt and the fan in the corner of the room blowing his hair to one side. He truly looked like a rock-star.

"Thank you. *Anata o sanshō shite kudasai tsugi no jikan, hitobito."

He walked past her without a word and disappeared into the dark of the backstage.

…

She turned, hesitating, and then ran after him into the black.

End

*We'll be going now, people.


	3. Element Three

Elemental 3

Katara ran after the retreating figure of Zuko, his back barely visible in the darkness.

"Zuko, wait!"

He turned around and saw her, coming to a stop.

"What do you want, Katara? I need to do something."

"I want to know about the song you were singing. What were the words in Japanese you sang?"

He sighed.

"Katara, please. I need to do something really important."

She saw the glimmer of tears still hidden beneath his black hair.

"Why?"

His hands clenched into fists.

"Because! Now leave me alone and quit looking at me like that!"

She frowned and grabbed his arm.

"No. I'm not scared of you, and if we're working with each other, than I want to know. The others obviously know; I can see it on their faces. Tell me why you sang that song so powerfully. Tell me why you're so ashamed of that scar."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Fine, but we're going outside. It's too stuffy in here and I can't breathe right."

He led her out to the back and they sat down against the wall.

"Why are you so scared of people seeing that scar?"

He closed his eyes, a hand going up to touch the scar.

"Because it's proof of what a horrible man my father is, and I don't want people to see it. It feels demeaning and it reminds me of my mother."

"What happened?"

He shook his head.

"That's a story for another day. Don't try asking any of the others, only Azula knows, and she's never spilled a secret in her life."

"Dad's going to kill you. Really, he is."

"But she's lied hundreds of times."

Katara looked at him.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For asking you those personal questions."

"It's okay. My mom, I guess, well, she's gone."

Katara looked down at the asphalt ground.

"I guess that's something we have in common then."

He looked over at her.

"My mom was killed when a gang broke into my house. We were out at the time and only got back in time to say goodbye."

Just as Zuko was about to say something, the back door opened and Azula stood over them, golden eyes staring down. She wore a darker red jacket over her dress.

"If you don't plan on walking, you'd better get in the van. We're leaving, Dum-dum."

Zuko sighed, helping Katara up, and they walked back to the van that was painted black and had decals of blue fire on the sides.

"Well?"

Azula sat in the passenger seat, the door open. A brown haired guy in a green shirt is stood next to her, his arm around her shoulders. She fixed them with a gold gaze.

"Get in or walk. Your fangirls are approaching."

Zuko turned and saw two girls running toward him, squealing. About a dozen more were following.

"Great."

He grabbed Katara's hand and pulled her into the van. The long-haired guy next to Azula jumped into the van and she slammed the door.

Mai, sitting at the wheel, clicked her seatbelt on and yelled a warning in her low voice.

"Buckle up, crazies!"

They all put their seatbelts on as the van tore out of the parking lot. The two girls stood on the sidewalk, Mai driving down the road and pulling into the highway.

"Katara, where do you live?"

"Uh, on 19232 Drive."

Mai nodded imperceptibly and they sat in silence until the van pulled up at the edge of the street. Zuko looked over at her, surprised.

"This is really close to where I live!"

Azula smirked from the passenger seat.

"Well, then, dear brother, you can walk her home. I'm staying at Mai's tonight."

They got out of the van and it drove away. Zuko turned to her.

"Well, I might as well take my sister's advice. C'mon."

They walked down the sidewalk. Katara noticed that her brother's van was missing from the driveway next to her house.

"I guess Sokka's gig isn't over yet."

Zuko nodded. An uncomfortable silence took over the street.

"Katara!"

Just then, a van pulled into the side street from the main road, parking next to her house. It was painted with huge Japanese waves, like the ones painted in pictures.

"Dad!"

She ran over to the van as six people got out, two carrying guitar cases. Zuko was left on the sidewalk, feeling a bit awkward as she greeted them all, hugging, laughing and questioning. Finally, he walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Katara."

She turned around, a look of mild surprise on her face, and then it turned into an honest smile.

"C'mere! I want to introduce you to my dad!"

He stepped forward and Katara pulled him toward a tall man with his hair in a ponytail. He wore a V-neck shirt and blue jeans, and he wore a strange necklace made with shark teeth and other things.

"Hello, I'm Hakoda. I don't believe I've met you before." He said, holding out a hand for Zuko to shake.

"Zuko Draconis. I'm Katara's fellow band member. Nice to meet you, sir. I really admire your work."

Hakoda laughed.

"It's Hakoda, son. I don't bother with honorifics like that. Same with the rest of the band. It's great to know Katara's finally found her place."

She grinned up at her dad.

"Thanks, dad. Sokka's gig was after ours, so he'll be back a little later."

Zuko smiled and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Katara, I'm going to go home now. I don't want to make my uncle worry."

She nodded and smiled at him as he left the group and walked down the street.

Katara had a family that he wanted. A peaceful, happy, family, with joy, happiness, and siblings that didn't try to drag you back to your abusive father and your broken home.

Why couldn't he have a family like that?

Why couldn't his mother still be here?

Why did she have to leave?

End.


	4. Element Four

Elemental 4

"You take me back and show me you're the only one, reveal the way you've got me, I've got to run!"

"You're still alive, I'm never gonna take your feeling, which is complicated!"

Fingerless gloved hands clenched the microphone.

"Umarete, michi ari koko made."

Gold eyes were wide open, staring straight into the soundproof wall.

"Ayunda, kono michi no saki wa!"

Black hair was messily brushed into a barely acceptable haircut.

"Dare ni mo, fumi komaretaku wa nainda dakedo ne!"

Red sneakers tapped the soft carpet.

"Hamerarete shimaeba, break me up! Tomarerya, wait for a moment!"

Black studded cuffs shook back and forth on his hands as he sang.

"Koko made sa falling out yeah! Girigiri, runs out of time!"

The same golden eyes looked back at the sparkling blue ones behind him.

"You can feel it!"

"I can't believe in you!"

"I'll see you another day another wa-"

"Zuzu."

Azula had snatched the microphone from his hands. She glared at him.

"Pay attention to the lyrics and quit flirting with your little girlfriend. You messed up on the last verse. It's I'd see you, not I'll. Got it, Dum-Dum? Or do I need to take over?"

"Azula, give him a break, you've been working us to, like, the bone for the last three hours. We could all use a break. Practicing for that long is totally bad for your skin," said Ty Lee, getting up from her stool.

Mai sighed, getting up from her own seat and heading for the door to the house.

"I'm going to go get some drinks, I'll be right back."

Azula hmphed and walked over to the plush red armchair, flopping down on it and crossing her arms.

"Fine. I'll let you have 5 minutes."

Ty Lee ran over to her.

"Azula, I need to get something from my house, can it be a half hour? Pleeaaase?"

Azula sighed.

"Fine. Just leave me alone, I'm tired."

Ty Lee squealed in happiness and raced upstairs. They could hear the car starting outside.

Katara and Zuko walked outside to the front porch after Mai had brought drinks. They sat down on the porch swing and Zuko picked up a small toy car on the floor of the porch.

"I can remember when I got this, even though I was only about seven."

She looked up at him.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was seven, and it was the last toy my mom got me before she disappeared. We went to Walmart and I just had to have the Racing Fury right that second and I wouldn't take no for an answer. She finally relented and let me have it. I was so happy. And two nights after that she was gone."

Zuko looked down the street, his eyes staring at a tree, but the images he saw were not leaves and bark. They were images of his mother as she smiled and left his room for the last time. Suddenly, two arms were around him and a soft brown-haired head was pressed against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I know how it feels, to see someone one day, and the next they're gone, or worse…**dead**."

He looked down at the toy car in his hand, and set it in his lap, returning Katara's hug.

"I'm sorry, too."

Just then a hot-pink convertible pulled up to the house and Ty Lee jumped out. They quickly scrambled back to their original positions.

"Hi, guys!"

She ran up the porch steps and into the house. She was carrying two large bags, both pink and both huge.

"Come on!" She yelled from the open door, quickly going down the stairs to the garage.

They got up off the swing and Zuko shoved the toy car in his pocket as they went inside.

"You're late, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee shrugged and set her bags on the floor by her keyboard.

"We have approximately twenty-eight minutes until my father gets here, and we need to avoid him. Well, at least Zuko does. Anyway, I think we can practice for about fifteen minutes and then we need to get out of here. Katara, you got here in your car, correct?"

Katara nodded.

"Then you can take Zuko home."

She picked up the electric guitar and slung the guitar strap over her head, stepping over next to the drum set. Mai sat up and put her can of soda on the concrete floor, while Ty Lee skipped over and sat down on her keyboard stool.

"Let's get this started." Zuko said, picking up the mic and setting it in its stand, while Katara tuned her bass next to Ty Lee.

"You take me back, and show me you're the only one…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They had practiced for 15 minutes and they were now loading the drum set in the van. Katara was setting her guitar in its case in the back of the car when a black Porsche pulled up in the driveway. She heard Azula gasp in surprise and a squeak as Ty Lee hid behind Mai.

"Zuko."

She turned and ran toward the van.

A man in a black suit with a short haircut got out of the car and headed for the van. His hands were balled into fists.

"Zuko, I thought I told you not to come here anymore. What do you think you're doing here?"

Zuko's fists clenched and he stared straight back into Ozai's eyes, refusing to leave.

"I don't need your permission to be here, dad."

Ozai stepped forward, a punch readying in his fist that had Zuko's name written on it.

Azula suddenly stepped in front of Zuko, her arms spread wide. Her eyes flashed defiantly.

"I invited him, Father. It's my fault."

Ozai looked at Azula, then growled low in his throat and unclenched his fists.

"Fine, but you had better not come here anymore. You are a disgrace to my family."

Zuko nodded softly, closing his eyes as Ozai stormed into the house.

Azula picked up her guitar case and set it in the back of the van. She then gave Zuko a one-armed hug and climbed into the driver's seat of the van. Ty Lee closed the back doors of the van and ran over to hop in her pink car. Mai got into the passenger seat and they waved as they drove off, Ty Lee hollering byes as she drove away from the house.

Zuko climbed into the passenger seat of Katara's silver car and they pulled out of the driveway, heading down the main road and onto the highway.

.

"Is your dad always like that?"

"No. Sometimes he's worse. Especially when he's drunk."

"Was he ever happy?"

"He was happy once, before my cousin died in Iraq. He became so angry and sullen, and he'd go off to talk to my grandfather a lot. Then my mother left and he just started taking it out on us. My uncle got me out, and then my father turned his anger into a fierce determination. My _sister_ gets all his love now."

She smiled sadly.

"I wish I could help you, but I don't know what to do."

He sighed and she pulled into the highway exit, blue eyes now fixed on the road in front of her. They got to her street pretty quickly, and she was pulling up to her house, when she suddenly groaned.

"Spirits, no! Why's _he_ here?!"

A guy in a red t-shirt was standing on her porch, ringing the doorbell over and over.

"Who's he?"

"Jet."

End.


	5. Element Five

Elemental 5

Katara growled under her breath and pulled into the driveway backwards, so that her window was facing the porch. Jet, hearing the noise, turned and saw the car parked in the driveway.

He ran to the window and knelt in front of it, looking in as Katara rolled down the window.

"Katara!"

She glared daggers at him and motioned for Zuko to get out of the car. He did so, and she climbed out of the passenger seat.

Zuko opened the backseat door and pulled out Katara's guitar case while ignoring the other guy talking to her.

"Katara, you haven't answered my calls, and I sent you emails and messages on Facebook! What's going on? Why won't you talk to me? Katara!"

Katara whirled around and glared at him icily.

"Listen, I'm tired from band practice and I'd like to go inside. If you're still pining away, you can just leave. I _hate_ you, and I don't want to talk to you ever again. _Never_. Got it? Good."

She snatched her bass guitar case from Zuko and walked over to the porch, stomping up the stairs, unlocking the door, and slamming it so hard Zuko thought he saw cracks in the wood.

"You her new boyfriend? If you are, she sure got over me fast."

Jet narrowed his eyes and looked at Zuko suspiciously.

"No."

"Family member?"

"No."

"That your favorite word, no?

Zuko was silent.

"You have to have some type of acquaintance with her."

Zuko turned and started walking down the street toward his house.

"I'm her fellow band member."

Jet laughed behind him.

"See ya later then, 'fellow band member'."

Zuko grumbled furiously and walked the rest of the distance to his house. He threw open the screen door and let it slam behind him as he walked past the kitchen. His uncle looked up from his book and pot of tea.

"Rough day, nephew?"

Zuko stomped down the hallway and slammed the door of his room, making the framed pictures on the wall shudder and swing back and forth.

Iroh got up from his chair and walked down the hall, pressing one ear to his nephew's closed door. Loud music was now making the walls shake. Iroh knocked on the door, listening for a reply.

"Nephew, I would be content to let you listen to music all night, but I have a feeling Aunt Wu, Jun, and the other neighbors do not share your taste in music. Please respect others and turn it down, Zuko."

There was no answer from the noisy room, but a minute later he heard an annoyed sigh and the music turned down to the point where Iroh's teacup wasn't rattling on the table.

Iroh smiled.

"Thank you, my nephew."

He returned to his seat at the table and opened the book, taking a sip of jasmine tea. His nephew could be so violent sometimes, but if you spoke words of kindness to him, he would surely react well.

"I wonder what got him so worked up."

Iroh sighed and went back to the little book of haikus.

"Oh well."

End.


	6. Element Six

Elemental 6

Zuko walked down the street, heading toward Katara's house. Band practice was in fifteen minutes, and he didn't want to get yelled at by Azula. He heard a voice from Katara's house and looked up, stopping in his tracks.

The scene unfolding in front of him was quite funny, but a bit intimidating. Katara was leaning out of the second story window, yelling at Jet at the top of her lungs. Jet stood on the porch, a bouquet of roses in one hand, and a box in the other.

"I wouldn't go out with you if my life depended on it, you psycho freak!" she screeched, slamming the window shut.

Jet turned and hammered on the front door again.

"Let me in so I can talk to you!"

Zuko shoved his iPod in his pocket and walked up to the porch.

"Leave her alone. You are obviously not supposed to be here, so leave her alone."

Jet turned and scowled.

"You have no business with her. She's _my_ girlfriend."

Suddenly, the front door burst open and Katara stormed out, muttering "more like ex-girlfriend". Stomping down the porch stairs, she kicked the bouquet of roses that Jet had dropped.

She was wearing a billowy blue shirt with a halter strap. Wearing white jeans, silver sandals, and her trademark three ear piercings, she looked every bit the musician. Her bass guitar case was held in one hand, and a bag in the other.

She grabbed Zuko by the wrist with the hand holding the bag and dragged him over to her car.

"We're leaving. If Azula gets mad at us for being late, I'm blaming it on you."

He sighed and grabbed the car keys from her hands, unlocking it and putting the bass guitar case he'd wrestled from her in the back. Jet looked on, glaring from the porch steps.

"You better not be her boyfriend, scarboy. If you are, I'll kill you."

That was the last straw. Zuko launched himself at Jet, fist pulled back to give Jet a whopping right hook.

A tan hand closed down on Zuko's, stopping him before he could hit Jet, and he heard a slap ring in the air. He looked up and saw Jet, his hands pressed to his cheek, a red handprint stinging there.

"Shut up, Jet." Katara stood over him, a hand raised to slap him again if he tried to retaliate. But Jet slunk off the porch, heading down the sidewalk to the end of the block, where he turned the corner and vanished from sight.

She sighed and walked back to the car, releasing Zuko's hand. She opened the driver's door and climbed in, looking over at Zuko expectantly.

"Well? I'm perfectly fine with facing your sister, but what about you?"

He turned and got into the passenger seat, sighing.

"What's his story?" he said as they pulled out of the driveway and onto the main road. "I'm guessing he's your old ex and he wants you back? He the jealous type?"

Katara said nothing, staring straight out at the road.

"Come on, Katara! You have to tell me _something_!"

She sighed.

"He's my ex-boyfriend, from when I lived in a town away from here. A couple weeks after I moved here, he moved a couple blocks down with his sister and her boyfriend. Quite the coincidence, right? No. When he invited me over a week later, I looked around and found out he'd tracked me down to here, then found a place near me and moved there. Not such a coincidence."

"I yelled at him for about an hour, and then I've been ignoring him since then. He shows up every so often and asks me to take him back. Oh, and did I mention he's in a gang? No, I didn't. He's in a gang. And he's the jealous type. And overprotective. And psycho."

She clamped her mouth shut and focused her eyes on the road, not looking at Zuko once.

"One creepy ex you've got there."

…

"We're here."

They pulled up to a brick building , a sign over the door announcing that it was a recording studio.

"We're lucky my dad gives Azula a hundred bucks for her allowance, otherwise we wouldn't be able to afford a place like this. I get ten dollars and a hug from my uncle."

She smiled.

"Your uncle sounds nice."

Zuko smiled back.

"Want to come over after practice and meet him?"

She nodded, opening the trunk. Zuko took the guitar case out and she locked the car. As he handed her the case, a voice called from the studio door.

"Are you two going to stand there all day, making googly eyes at each other, or are we going to practice?"

Azula stood in the door way, the brown-haired guy from the last concert next to her. She had a mocking smirk on her face.

She wore a red sleeveless dress with black sneakers. It was a strange look, but Azula pulled it off effortlessly. She had gold hoops in her ears, and a pendant dangled from her neck. The stone's color was odd, swirling from blue to indigo, to white, to silver.

Zuko and Katara ran for the entrance, blushing.

"Well, they'll realize soon enough."

Azula shrugged and walked down the hallway to their studio, Haru's arm around her shoulder.

"Matchmaking? I never took you for that type."

Azula smirked, resting her head on Haru's shoulder as they walked.

"Oh, believe me, I've found perfect matches for about everyone here."

"Really."

"Yes, really. Even gloomy, I-never-want-a-boyfriend-ever Mai."

Haru smiled.

"Even us?"

She smiled an honest smile this time.

"I think we're good."

End.


	7. Element Seven

Elemental 7

The practice ended quickly, and Azula shoved all of her gang into the van and drove off.

Zuko and Katara climbed into the car and drove back to her house. They left the car at her house and walked down the street to Zuko's house, a quaint, one-story house with a big front yard. Zuko walked up the driveway and pulled out his keys, opening the door.

"I'm home, uncle!"

A slightly pudgy old man appeared from the kitchen and smiled when he saw Katara.

"Hello! I'm Iroh, Zuko's uncle. I don't believe I've heard of you before. Zuko, why don't you bring beautiful young ladies like her home more often?"

"Katara's just my band member. She wanted to meet you. We're not anything more than friends. Besides, if I even tried, I think her ex would beat me up."

Iroh laughed.

"Ah. So, your name is Katara. A wonderful name. Would you like some tea while Zuko cleans up his room? There's probably CD cases everywhere and music sheets."

Zuko took that as a hint to go clean up and left them to talk and drink tea.

Katara sat down next to Iroh, accepting the cup of tea he offered her.

"So, Zuko's recruited you for him and his sister's band?"

She nodded, taking a sip of the steaming jasmine tea.

"Yes. I did a gig a few weeks ago with them, and I've been going to practices also. It's really fun and Zuko's been showing me the ropes of avoiding Azula's wrath."

Iroh smiled and handed her a book.

"Haiku, by Matsuo Bashō."

"Yes. He is one of the first haiku masters."

"That's cool!" she said, flipping through the book.

Iroh picked up his tea and took a sip.

"Small water lily, floats above the pond's clear depths, like clouds in the sky."

Katara studied the book's contents for a moment, and then replied.

"Little tea stalk stands, upright in the cup, it brings very good luck."

Iroh smiled gleefully.

"It appears you are good at this! Have you tried haiku before?"

She shook her head.

"No. This was fun, though! I'll have to show my dad and brother."

Zuko appeared from the hall and walked into the kitchen. He dropped a CD case on the table as he walked past it to the stove.

"Meditation music?"

"It's uncle's CD. He lost it."

Iroh picked it up and smiled, leaving the room to put it away, she assumed.

"What'd you guys talk about while I was cleaning up?"

"The band and haikus."

Zuko laughed, sitting down across from her at the table.

"Uncle shows everyone the haiku book. It's like sort of a test."

Katara took a sip of tea.

"What do you mean by _everyone_?"

"All my girlfriends."

Katara almost choked on her tea.

"He seems to think I'm lying about you being just a band member."

Katara smiled.

"Well, with luck, we can convince him otherwise."

Zuko grinned and took a sip of tea.

A knock on the door made Iroh come running out to answer it.

"Hey, grandpa. I came to give Zuko something, actually."

A black-haired woman came into the dining room and set a CD case down in front of Zuko. She wore a plum tank top, with a couple belts buckled tastefully around her waist, with jeans, knee-high boots, and a ponytail secured with a skull hairband. Her black eyes were accented by dark, shadowy makeup. A black bag was slung over one shoulder.

"You left this at my house. Mind if I make myself a cup of tea?"

Zuko shook his head, taking the CD case.

"Nope. Thanks for the CD, Jun."

Jun smiled, taking a mug out of the cupboard and pouring herself a cup of tea.

"So who's your new girlfriend, Zuko?"

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"She's not my girlfriend!"

Katara and Zuko both screeched at her, Iroh laughing as he came back into the kitchen.

"Okay, okay! Sheesh, I was just teasing."

June laughed and took a seat next to Zuko, slipping another CD case out of her bag.

"Anyway, I wanted to do another music swap, and I'm hoping you'll let me hear the new song you wrote. What do you say?"

"What new song?" Katara asked.

Zuko closed his eyes in thought, and the table was silent except for tea being sipped and the turning of pages as Iroh read his haiku book.

"Alright."

June grinned.

"Great. Here."

She handed Zuko the CD case and he disappeared into his bedroom, coming back with an acoustic guitar and another CD case.

"Here's the CD. It's got all the songs we've sung and the new one I recorded."

June took it and smiled, taking a last sip of her tea.

"Then I'll be going. Bye, grandpa."

Iroh waved.

"Goodbye, Jun. Come again!"

Jun smirked.

"Sure."

Katara looked over at Zuko.

"I'm gonna go. It's about dinner time, and my dad's making his famous soup."

Zuko grabbed her wrist as she got up.

"Wait. I'm going to come with you. I don't trust that Jet guy."

Katara nodded.

"Alright."

They said goodbye to Iroh and left the house, crossing the lawn and walking down the sidewalk.

…

"See you, Katara." He said as he jumped off the first step of the porch.

"See you."

She walked inside her house and Zuko heard happy yells from the kitchen, then the door closed and the place was silent.

Zuko walked back down the driveway, a small smile on his face.

End.


	8. Element Eight

Elemental 8

Zuko walked out of the studio, carrying Katara's bass. She had stayed inside to talk to Azula about something and asked him to take her bass guitar case to the car.

"Yeah, see ya!"

Katara walked through the door of the studio, pulling out her phone and pressing speed dial.

"Dad? My friend's staying over for dinner, so don't make stew tonight, okay? You know how other people react to it."

She finished her phone call and ran over to Zuko, who was shutting the trunk of the car.

"Zuko, do you want to come over for dinner?"

He shut the trunk and grinned at her.

"Sure! I want to meet your brothers."

Katara smirked.

"Not just my brothers. My older brother's fiancée, my uncle and my younger brother's girlfriend will be there."

He laughed.

"You sure you want me meeting all of your family?"

She shrugged, opening the driver's side door.

"I'm completely fine with it."

He walked around the car and got into the passenger seat, picking up the notebook that had been left there.

"Writing more songs?"

He nodded as she started the ignition and pulled away from the studio.

"Yeah. Azula thinks we need more of an 'expanded music selection'."

Katara laughed.

"Can I help sometime?"

He smiled and made a couple notes.

"That would be cool."

They pulled out of the highway fifteen minutes later and Katara drove into the parking lot of Fred Meyers. Zuko looked up from his notebook.

"Why are we stopping here?"

"Dad needs ingredients for dinner."

She locked the car and they got out, Zuko tucking the notebook into his jacket.

They trudged through the sliding doors and Zuko grabbed a cart. Katara headed in the direction of the produce, handing Zuko a paper with shopping items on it.

[Italian bread, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, basil, thin spaghetti, mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce]

He picked up some spaghetti, Italian bread, olive oil and tomato sauce, and headed in the direction of the balsamic vinegar when he bumped into Katara, who was holding a basket with Roma tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil.

"Are you looking for the same thing as I am?"

He grinned.

"If it's balsamic vinegar, then yes."

They laughed and headed down another aisle, Katara grabbing a bottle of something dark and stinky.

"It smells sour."

She giggled.

"It's supposed to smell like that. It's _vinegar_."

Katara put the bottle in the cart where they'd stashed her basket and they walked over to the checkout lanes.

"Hello." The cashier looked bored and un-enthusiastic as he set the groceries in a couple of paper bags.

"Have a good day, thank you for shopping at Fred Meyer.

Katara took their bags and they left the store, Zuko abandoning the cart by the entrance.

"Well, that's over with, so let's get home." Katara said, running ahead of him to the car.

Zuko set the last paper bag in the trunk ad shut it while Katara started up the car. He got in and took his notebook out of his jacket.

"What are we having for dinner?"

"Italian."

"Hm."

They sat in silence the entire way there, Zuko writing song lyrics in his notebook and Katara focusing on the next red light.

"We're ho-ome!" Katara sang as she pulled into the driveway.

Zuko laughed and put his notebook in his jacket, opening his door and helping Katara carry the groceries over to the porch.

"Hold this."

She handed him a paper bag and pulled her keys out, unlocking the door.

"I'm home! I bring food and music composers!"

They walked into the house and a teenager in an orange shirt ran down the stairs, followed by a girl with black hair, who was walking down the stairs much more civil-like than the boy.

"Hi, sis!"

"Hey, Aang. Where's Sokka and Suki?"

Aang pointed to the back of the house.

"They went outside to the backyard."

She smiled at him, and they walked to the back of the house, where a huge black wooden table sat, surrounded by mismatched chairs. The kitchen sat next to it, and Katara set the paper bags on the counter. Aang and the black-haired girl had sat down on one of the couches in the living room to the left of the kitchen and were now playing Mario.

Katara walked over to the back doors and opened them, walking outside. There was laughter from outside, and then the door shut and Zuko was left in the middle of the room. He looked from the two teenagers playing Mario to the back door and made his choice.

…

When he walked out on the patio, he saw Katara sitting on the porch with two other people. One guy who looked like Katara's brother, and a pretty brunette in a green blouse.

Katara looked up and seeing him, waved him over.

"Zuko, come meet my brother!"

He walked over and sat down on the porch next to her.

"Zuko, this is my brother Sokka, and his fiancée Suki."

She gestured to the guy, and then the girl sitting next to him. Suki gave him a smile, and Sokka grinned.

"Nice to meet you, Zuko."

Just then, Hakoda appeared in the back door.

"Katara, can you and the rest come inside? I need some help with dinner."

Katara got up and grabbed her brother's hand.

"Come on!"

They all walked inside, Suki walking over to talk to Aang.

Zuko followed her. Aang was sitting back, talking to Suki, and the black haired girl was playing Call of Duty.

"Twinkletoes, aren't you going to play?" the black-haired girl said, her eyes glued to the screen.

Aang looked over at her.

"That game's too violent for me, Toph."

"Oh, come on, you sissy! Call of Duty is _not_ violent."

Aang flopped back on the couch. Zuko heard Katara laugh from the kitchen.

"You _kill_ people on Call of Duty! How is it _not_ violent?!"

Toph sighed, pressing a couple buttons on her controller and sitting down, the screen beside her blinking into a menu.

"Call of Duty is not violent because I said so, you big doofus. Those are the Toph Rules, so pay attention."

Zuko and Suki laughed while Toph threw a pillow at Aang, then Zuko picked up the second controller.

"Can I play?"

Toph grinned. Zuko noticed for the first time that her eyes were a translucent green, and they didn't focus on him at all.

"Sure!"

He quickly picked the set-up before she could respond and they played until Katara got tired of yelling "Dinnertime!" and snatched the controllers out of their hands.

"I _said_ it's time for dinner. The game can wait until after dinner, _children_." She said, smirking.

They all laughed their way to the table, where Hakoda was setting a huge bowl of salad on the table.

"Have some pasta, guys. Bato will be home in a minute."

They all dug into their dinners and a couple minutes later, a tall guy with his hair in a ponytail opened the door and walked over to the table.

"I'm back!"

Katara gave him a hug and sat down, motioning for him to take a seat also.

"Did you find a job yet?"

Bato smiled.

"No, actually, I couldn't find anyone who could tolerate my sparkling personality, sadly."

They all laughed.

Zuko smiled.

So this was what it was like to be in a real family.

He liked it.

End.


End file.
